The Responsibility Of The Supernatural In Shakespeare's Macbeth

Throughout the play, one can argue that Macbeth was coerced or that is was his will. Yet, the evidence supports that Macbeth was indeed controlled by the supernatural. Therefore, the witches are the ones responsible for Macbeth’s rise to glory and his tragedy.

At the beginning of the play the witches are plotting a scheme involving Macbeth’s and Banquo’s destiny. After debating when to share Macbeth’s and Banquo’s future with them, the witches finally tell Macbeth, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor, All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor,” and then they address to Banquo and declare, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”(I.iii.48-67) At first, Macbeth and Banquo don’t believe a thing the witches say because they have no clue who these strange women are. Yet, Macbeth is moved by this occurrence because the women

Before murdering Duncan, Macbeth sees a dagger and confesses, “ Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain. (II.i.32-38) This shows how this scene involved the supernatural because of a flying dagger. Also, it proves that Macbeth was being coerced to some extent because the dagger was directing him to Duncan. After the flying dagger incident, Macbeth finally decides he will pull through, and he murders Duncan in his sleep. (I.i.61-63) After murdering Duncan, Macbeth is confused and bathe in guilt because he just killed the King. This shows that Macbeth wasn’t fully committed in murdering Duncan because of the way he described his guilt. Even though Macbeth was pushed by ambition, the witches were the ones who started the fire in